Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-09-15

with Inc whip and we were Whlrled away,
leaving Miss Armund, who had alighted,
booking after US with a vacant stare.
| Mrs. Iceberg was too well bred to ask
questions, but / saw that she had noted the
whole occurrence and was full Of conjecture
as TO who the Strengthening woman could
have been who had evidently recognized me
at sight But l did not enlighten her.
could not, without giving details i did not
care to disclose, for had hitherto passed as
an orphan, a friend of Mrs.. Kent had left,
and whom she had adopted, and no one ever
dreamed OF my being founding reared by
charity; and though they were kind and
| generous people, dared not trust TO their
aristocratic ears the true story Of my life,
hoping l could hold my place, as before,
among them. Mrs. Kent, too, had thought
| it best TO say nothing in regard to my pa
rentage, though she as well as myself
would have scorned TO have told falsehood
concerning it. We merely kept silent,
thereby not committing ourselves TO our
friends.
Our drive home was silent and depressed
evidently Mrs. Iceberg expected an ex-
PLANTATION, and was somewhat angry because
it did not come. And l was embarrassed
and vexed that could not give it, and so we
arrived home and betook ourselves to our
respective tasks, each feeling hurt at the
other, yet without cause.
How it would have ended know not
Whether should have confessed to Mrs.
Iceberg the strange circumstances that sur
rounded my intimacy with Miss Armund, or
whether / should have preserved o sullen
and discreet silence on the subject, l can
not say. But fate had arranged different
explanation for all these petty DIFFICULTIES,
one OF which we never dreamed.
We had arranged to attend the opera that
evening; yet little thought what a strange
chain of events were being forged for me,
as finished my toilet, and posed an unnec-
essary length of time before the cheval
glass, viewing the effect of new costume
Of cherry and cream satin whose lustrous
folds giistened in the gas light of the pretty
room where / stood. A vain and thought
less girl after all my hard lessons of power
ty and seclusion, often found myself won
dering that could be so happy, I, who had
once seemed only born for a drudge or TO
be perpetual nuisance ever in somebody's
way.
sat down idly after dressing, and it be-
ing early, 1 took up paper and began to
read it carelessly at first, but finally name
struck my eye that made me at once won
derfully interested-it was the name of
Irving Barrett. For years | had scarcely
thought of the boy, for however his sister
might interest me in regard to her friend
ship with Oliver Dudley, / had never
thought in common with her brothers.
But imagine my surprise and horror at
finding his name at the head of the criminal
calendar, accused of stabbing fellow stu
dent fatally while engaged in a drunken
carouse. He had fought the officers, so the
paper stated like a wild beast, but had
finally been overpowered and lodged in jail,
where he now lay awaiting trial
read the account over twice before /
fairly comprehended that Irving Barrett
was an accused murderer, and very likely
TO suffer the full penalty of the law, as pub
lie opinion seemed much against him. Twas
shocked aud grieved at this, for, though
Irving had ever been my enemy, and his
proud sister had scorned me as she would a
leper, could not but feel this must be a
terrible blow to her and her naughty mother
And BERTHE, dear, brave, manly little BERTHE,
how this keen disgrace would wound himl
My heart ached for him.
But my meditations were brought TO
close by the entrance of the servant with
word that all were ready and waiting for
me. hastily donned my cloak and hat and
descended, expecting to find my escort, Mr..
Balfour, waiting for me; but, instead, a
note had been sent saying he had just re-
ceived telegram from home announcing
the dangerous illness of his father and ask
ing his immediate return; 50 | must excuse
him from attending, though to forego this
pleasure, he said, was a disappointment =
yet duty to his father came first. And
then he had hastily scrubbed goodbye
and strict injunction not TO forget him,
though in the exciting scenes that followed
it is doubtful if thought Of him ever
crossed my mind.
The opera-house was filed to overflow
ing. The elite of the whole city were there,
it seemed, and | gazed over the brilliant
scene where the bright flashes Of diamonds,
the soft glow of silks and satins, waving
plumes, bright faces and lovely forms,
seemed to give it the likeness of fairy land,
with a strange dreamy restfulness, as if all
care and suffering were lifted for a little
while from my heart. II was the lun be-
fore the storm, it seemed to me afterwards.
With a crash the music broke forth, and
all eyes were turned instantly TO the stage,
for new star was 70 sing, and the music
loving world was on the qul rtpe. The first
part was over; there was lul, and then
the curtain slowly rising, revealed Madam
L, the celebrated singer whose beauty
and music a world applauded, standing be-
fore u.s. TO the day of my death l shall
never forget that scene. The beautiful
woman in her silsen robe glittering with
jewels, the gay bright company who fol-
lowed her every move, are figures that are
stamped on my memory in characters never
to be obhterated The band played softly
q lovely prelude, sweet and soft as the
breezes ON banks Of violets, and then Mad
4 80 SIN lnrry ut orn1
sweet her voice rose, filing the whole vast
room, when suddenly there was a flutter,
murmur on and near the stage; it grew in
strength, the singer paused, then went on,
but in an instant a man sprang on the stage
screaming fire at the top OF his voice.
For an instant the crowd wavered; a
single tongue Of fame hike an evil eye darted
out from screen; that decided them. With
wild cry the people were on their feet in
an instant; the next a rush, jam, furious
battle for life and escape, and tho scene
beggars description. 1t would be quite Inn
possible to describe the horrors Of that hour.
The building was really in flames before the
crowd had half escaped from it.
Istood for some time where had first
risen, utterly dumb with horror and fright
/ knew not what to do. My friends, mad
with terror like all the rest, flung them
selves into the surging mass and fought like
demons to gain foot toward the great en-
trance doors that stood so invitinglyly open,
but blocked by the fighting, seething crowd.
saw Mr.. Iceberg with his young wife
clinging to him, push madly on, leaving me
to my fate. But / remember even then
thinking how fortunate it was that the elder
Mrs. Iceberg and Mrs. Kent had remained
at home.
Just at that instant found myself sud-
denly lifted by strong hand and borne rap
idly toward the stage whore side entrance
was placed for the convenience of the
performers IT was from the stage the
fire had caught consequently it was
here the fire burned hottest, but my
preserver, who ever it was made straight
for the side entrance, but flames barred
the way. "My Godi too late too latel''
he gasped, but at that instant some
one cried: "To the other sidei There is o
window there fling her out there better
death on the st ones than to be roasted alive
herel"
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